talk about the practicality. >> but even then, you say that they are using it to reassure us. i do not think that is always the case. i think they are using it because they regard the u.k. as a critical ally for the united states, with which they have a set of unique relationships, on which their security, at least in part, depends, and the more that we can embrace that and become less defensive and relate our interests in the thetionship to each side, interests of the day, i think the better, but i agree with you. i have been at one conference in america or meetings and america where it was used because it means something to them. when your committee was looking at this a few years ago, it was very much in the aftermath of the first months of the obama administration, where i think there were those feeling more pronounced than today that the obama administration was not interested in allies, and as i was trying to say in my opening remarks, i think the obama administration realize that far, andn had gone too that they needed to show that they could use allies to achieve thing